Housewarming
by MeredithBrody
Summary: Pride wants to check that Brody's settling into her new home. (Episode tag for 1x01 / Gen)


**So, in my current quest to finish my "Prody for every episode" I've gone back to 1x01. This is a tag for "Musician Heal Thyself" and is really some fluffy friendship. It is shippy if you squint, but it's not really meant to be. As always, read and review. Shin xx**

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What had possessed him to stop by one of his agents' places on their day off he didn't know, but it had seemed like the place to be today. Pride knew that she didn't really know anyone here yet, so he'd made a calculated guess that she'd be at home. When her car was still on her driveway and the windows were open he was glad to know he was right. He was jogging up the steps when she opened the door, clearly not having expected him there. "Hey." He grinned as her eyes settled on him, and one of her large grins played on her face.

"Hi, I didn't expect anyone to come today?" Brody then chuckled a little and sat on the bench that was just to the left of her door. He stood a little awkwardly until she patted the seat beside her, clearly letting him in. He slipped onto the bench and smiled, putting his bag between his legs on the deck.

"I thought I'd come and see this place." He nodded at the house, thinking that it made a convenient excuse. He and Linda had been considering buying this house when Loretta had, in the end, beaten them to it. It was going to be somewhere they rented out until Laurel needed a home of her own. It turned out that this worked better, especially given how things were between him and Linda now. "I haven't seen it since Loretta remodelled."

"That secret lasted so long. LaSalle let it slip before we left the bar." Brody's light laughter was almost lyrical, and he had to smile at it before he'd even though about LaSalle's 'secret friend' being revealed as soon as he was drunk enough to say Loretta's name. At least Brody had taken it well.

"I know, it was amusing." He and Loretta had both ended up laughing quite loudly at the two younger agents, who had then started a joke slap-fight. "I can't believe either of them expected it to keep." It had been a ridiculous idea, but it had worked out in the end as it had given them an entire evening of laughter.

Clearly she caught on to something he'd said earlier too. "So, you've been here before?" She asked, taking a sip of the glass of juice she'd brought out with her before. He just smiled and nodded. It seemed like a very long time ago now.

"When she was buying it." There was no need add the slightly depressing sidebar about his life. This wasn't meant to be a sad or down occasion, he was here to welcome her to their city, and their family. "It was a dump back then though." It really had been. From what he remembered Loretta complaining about, she'd had to pull out almost every fixture and fitting and put in all new. He wasn't surprised, but he was a little intrigued about how it had worked out.

"I bet." She chuckled, and given the state of one of the houses up the block it was easy to see why she'd be able to picture that. "But this is home now." She smiled and looked round, clearly a little proud. He was glad to see that side of her, especially given how reticent to stay in New Orleans she'd been at first. Now she was clearly happier, maybe it was having her own space to call home here?

"You settling in OK?" He had to ask, just because it was polite. He could already tell that she was. This was one of the easiest places to settle in, he knew that.

"Yeah, yeah. Met the neighbours a little." She grinned again over her glass, and he wondered what was causing that. It was truly nice to see her looking this happy outisde of the office. He was happy she'd chosen to stay. "There is the most adorable little girl in the house opposite. Can only be 3 or 4. Madeline."

He smiled as the little girl she mentioned clearly ran back into view, jumping up and down to get the attention of a man he assumed was her father. "I'm glad you're getting to know people." They may have only been her neighbours, but they were still people. Brody was quite insular, he'd noticed, and he'd worried that maybe she'd find it more difficult than some to meet people.

"So, what really brings you here?" She finally asked, and he was amazed that it hadn't come up before. She'd let him believe for far longer than he should have bought that he was interested in the house. How did he tell her that he had wanted to check that she was alright, and that nothing untoward was going on. At least he had brought a gift that would work as a reason.

"I thought I'd bring you a little housewarming present." He pulled the bottle out of the bag at his feet and handed it to her. Watching her face split into another, even wider, grin he realised he had figured out her spirit of choice on the first try. She seemed like a cosmo and cocktail girl when she was out, but hard liquor if she had nowhere else to go. Scotch was one of his personal favourites too.

"This is good scotch." She muttered after she'd studied the bottle. He just nodded, he knew it was because it was his favourite. He was glad she seemed to have approved of it. Especially given that he had taken a complete guess.

"I'm glad you like it." He grinned, balling the bag up and stuffing it into his pocket before standing up. He'd done what he'd come here intending to do, and assuming that she had plans that didn't include her boss he smiled and looked toward the steps again. "So, I'll see you Monday?"

"Oh no, you don't get away that easily. You bring booze, you drink booze." She looked a little proud of herself for that one, smirking at him and standing up, clearly deciding that she had the greatest idea ever. "I'm gonna make that a house rule."

"Maybe not a bad one." He was a little wary about that. Not because she wouldn't be great company, or that he would mind having a night where he wasn't on his own. He just wasn't sure on how great an idea the two of them drinking would be. So he would make an excuse and leave. "Not tonight though."

"Come on, have a drink or five with me. I have a spare bedroom." She waved back to the house, and suddenly he felt like this was going to end in him agreeing. Especially when she got that look on her face that always struck him as a challenge. "Do you have something better to do?"

He knew at that moment that she'd won. He couldn't lie, and he also couldn't turn her down. So it was best he just own it, and try and make sure they eat something decent. He wouldn't last the night if he didn't. "Alright, fine. Do you at least have food?"

"Some ramen and I think maybe a pepper." She manage to say that with a straight face, and he wasn't sure how. He felt insulted by her pantry without even looking in it. How was she alive if that was all she had in.

"What do you eat when you're not at work?" Suddenly, it made sense why she always ate so much of his food. That was how she survived.

"I order out a lot, but I'm at work six days a week and you normally cook."

"Well, that's fair." He admitted. He did like to cook, and cooking for Brody and Christopher too meant he wasn't eating alone while Laurel was away at college. Normally she was his dinner buddy, but now she was away at college he had eaten alone more, til Brody had come along. "How about I treat you to a dinner from my favourite Creole place in the city, then we get about drinking?"

"How about you order it for delivery, and we get about drinking anyway." That actually seemed like a fair trade. He could live with that plan. He'd regret it no doubt, but he could live with it. "Normally my nights off are spent drinking alone right now, it'll be nice to have company." She continued and shrugged, clearly not at all ashamed.

"That's..." He started, but he wasn't actually sure if he should finish it.

"Kinda pathetic, I know." Brody finished his thought for him, and he just laughed then stood up, calling the delivery place as she went inside for glasses. He ordered things he knew she'd like, based on what she ate of his cooking. He was getting to know what she liked to eat well.

"You know you can call me if you need someone to come sit with you." He smiled when she came back outside, not meaning that offer to sound as desperate as it did, but he really did miss having someone to sit around with on a weekend. "I'd be grateful of the company too."

"I'll remember that." She smiled then handed him a glass of the scotch he'd brought. He hadn't eaten all day, so this could end badly if their food didn't arrive quickly. He just stared into the glass then looked up at her with a smile. She then held her glass out to him and offered her first proper toast as an official, permanent, member of his team. "Cheers."


End file.
